More Reef Excitement (Port Douglas)

Ello.

This'll be quick because it's getting late and I (badly) need some beauty sleep...

Just a quick report on our latest activities in and around the greater Cairns area. We got up bright and early again (eek) after a relaxing Sunday off (during which we watched the excellent new Transformers movie - giant killer robots: what's not to like?). We took a bleary eyed trip a few k's up the coast to Port Douglas where we boarded a boat out to the reef. This time we were further north than Green Island - closer to the place where Capt James Cook dented his ship (but luckily for Australia managed to refloat on the high tide - otherwise they'd all be speaking French!). We pulled up next to a couple of sections of reef and explored the many different varieties of coral. The coral in these places was incredibly varied - from big fat brain corals to small, delicate blue-tipped staghorn. This time the water was much deeper - being further out from the coast - and the coral stretched all the way up to the surface like a great living wall (or barrier I guess...). In and among the coral formations we encountered hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of little fish happily going about their daily business. We saw angelfish, sea cucumbers, clown fish (there's that pesky Nemo!), a dog-faced puffer fish among others. We narrowly missed out on seeing a Minke Whale who appeared just before we got out of the water, but unfortunately on the other side of the boat so we missed him. We did spot a Manta Ray and although we were excited to see him, he was only a small one and (of course) Manta Rays are yesterdays news :-).

We only had a short time to recover from our reef trip before we set out again (bright and early the next day - yeuch!) to explore the oldest living rainforest in the world: the heritage listed Daintree forest and Cape Tribulation. Apparently, while naming this area, the dauntless Capt Cook was plumbing the depths of depression which is why so many of the local spots have dismal names. Anyway, we toured around the area, seeing various coves and forests - the drive from Cairns reminded us somewhat of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria - and always keeping an eye out for the local speciality. This particular creature is the heaviest Australian land dweller, one of the more dangerous creatures on the continent as well as being unusually shy and retiring. It's also incredibly rare - with only an estimated 1500 surviving in the wild. This creature is the Cassowary.

While tramping through a rainforest boardwalk trail, we chanced upon one of these magnificent creatures happily rooting through the undergrowth in search of food. Contrary to everything we'd been told, it seemed neither shy nor particularly fierce. This one was only a sub-adult so I guess it had something to learn about being a Cassowary, but we all got our pictures and left it alone. We did see an adult looking slightly more menacing on our way out of the park, but we luckily had the side of a bus between us and it - so we weren't particularly threatened. We were also introduced to various other rainforest dwellers including strangling vines, flesh tearing tendrils, king ferns and the fern-like sensitive weeds (Trace's favourite) which appear to shrivel up when you get close to them - but regain their previous stature when you leave them alone.

We had locally grown billy tea and damper with exotic fruits by the side of a small creek and a BBQ lunch. After a quick stop by Cape Trib beach, we headed for the Daintree River and a wildlife cruise (at which we are now old hands!). Whilst on the cruise we spotted the obligatory salty crocs (including a foot-long 2 year old), but the show was stolen by kingfishers. We spotted 3 of the smallest kingfishers in Australia - including the Little Kingfisher which is arguably the smallest in the world. He's also a brilliant blue with a white chest - very stylish.

So we're now in Airlie Beach and tomorrow we depart to the Whitsunday Islands on a 3 day voyage.